Vitayu
The Vitayu are one of the many races on the continent Xechoris. They have 4 villages that are located in valleys between mountains. History The Vitayu are reclusive race. They live in grand villages that are located in the North, South, East and West. They are located in valleys between mountains, and are surrounded by large walls. These walls and the location of the villages has kept Outsiders, enemies, and curious travelers out of the villages. This also kept them out of the Divinus and Polari enslavement conflict. Their reclusive ways and strong walls have made their numbers great. Also due to their reclusive ways, not much was known about them prior to the year 1423. However, their history is a long struggle. The Ancient Vitayu were the first race to inhabit Xechoris, and were more powerful that they are today. The Ancient Vitayu welcomed other races onto their lands. They gave each race different powers. This led to the other races to rebel against the Vitayu, to attack them and slaughter their people. The three gods of Vitayu couldn't bear to watch their people be slaughtered. They let the races keep their powers and erased their memories of their powers' origins, gave the now powerless Vitayu their enhanced senses and immortality, and had them retreat into the four mountain villages. Centuries later in the year 1423, the people of Vitayu became more prevalent to the world again after Bellamy Nurasi became Chancellor. Bellamy was ambitious, and he wanted to share the greatness of Vitayu with the world. He called the Council together to plan their next move, however during their planning, the Councilor for the Western Village was assassinated. Sylar, the son of the Western Councilor, was voted to take his place, and he did so until the end of the attack on Fidelis. After the Vitayu took control over the Fidelis, Bellamy, on his quest for power, allied himself with Cupiditas, creating a long lasting alliance. Due to their alliance with Cupiditas, Cupiditas and Vitayu surrounded Ulferia. They refused to leave until Josephine(Jo) signed over power, and handed over the Vitayu residing in Ulferia. After the victory in Ulferia, Bellamy "executed" Jo. Over the next couple of centuries, Bellamy branched off from the Vitayu government and changed the government of Ulferia into a government system exactly like that of the Vitayu. This was increased over the years by Bellamy's son Kessuk and grandson Oliver Nurasi. Over the next 1129 years the Vitayu started to split into two distinct groups. The Originals, who are the Vitayu who believe that things should stay the way they are and that all Outsiders are bad. That the old ways set up by the Ancient Vitayu are the right way to do things. The second group are called the Rebels. They were started by Sylar in 1423, and they believe that the Vitayu should be less reclusive. That Outsiders are generally good and that they Vitayu need change. That their ancestors where's nesicarilly right on everything. This has created a rift between the people of Vitayu, even though most of the people's loyalties are to the Originals. The Southern Village is the most radical in regards to the Rebels while the Northern Village is majorly Original. The East and Western Villages are about fifty fifty. Government The Vitayu are ruled by a five member Council. The head of the Council is the Chancellor. The Chancellor is the "leader" of Vitayu, making him/her an equivalent to a King/Queen or Emoperor/Empress. The Chancellor is voted to his/her position by the four other members of the Council. The vote MUST be unanimous. Every 100 years a new Chancellor is voted upon, and every new vote there are canidates from the next village. So if the current Chancellor is from the Western Village, when his reign is over, the next Chancellor will be from the Northern Village, then the Eastern and then the Southern. The Chancellor's job is to break the ties in votes during Council meetings. Also to be the voice of Vitayu. They live in the Chancellor's mansion in their respected Village during their reign as Chancellor. The Councilmen make up the rest of the Council. The four Councilmembers are each from one of the four Villages. They are their villages' representative. Their job is to be the voice for their Village. The Councilmembers bring up problems that arise in their village during meetings in hopes of having it resolved. each Councilmember is voted onto the Council by the people of their village. Other races have a misconception about how it is done, for it usually passes on from generation to generation, but that's not always the case. The Councilmember's position differs from the Chancellor. The Councilmember has their position for as long as they are able, want to, or until the people of their Village deem them unworthy of the title. Also when voting for the Councilmember it just needs to be the majority, not unanimous like it has to be for the Chancellor. Traits/Powers The Vitayu are known to have brown hair (of all shades) with green eyes of varying shades. Angular features. Once they turn 16 all members receive two tattoos. One of the universal Vitayu symbol and the other of their village's insignia. They are great healers matched only to the elves. They have enhanced senses. They were also granted immortality by their gods in the time of the Ancient Vitayu. By immortal, they live forever but they can be killed, or die from very bad desease. However, between the age of 17 and 26, all Vitayu are required to either take a test to keep their immortality and gain the ability to morph between ages. (this means if they are 50 they can look how there were when they were 17 or look how they would be at age 78). If they fail the test or decide to not take it, they lose their immortality. In turn they wil age slower and have prolonged life. Prolonged life on average is 500-700 years. Test for Immortality The Test for Immortality is a simulation designed to have the participant learn and overcome their greatest fear. There are two parts to the Test. The participant if first injected with the liquid that will force them to face their greatest fear such as fire, burning alive, drowning, heights and so forth. They must accept what is going on around them. Face it head on. During the test they feel everything as if it were real. An example of the first half of the test is Elise de la Grace's test. Her greatest fear was burning alive/fire. The simulation put her in her mansion for the test. The Mansion caught on fire, and she had to escape. She panicked, but eventually walked through the flames to escape the flames. In the second half of the test, they are injected again. This liquid however forces them to experience an emotion that they bottle up. Such as loniless. This forces them to learn that it's ok to feel this way. Usually this is the harder of the two simulations, for it taps into their insecurities as well. In Elise's second half she was placed at her mansion again. The emotion she bottled up was her loniless she felt growing up in mansion relativly alone. She walked around her mansion and looked for her parents. Her mother ignored her, shunning her. She ran to her father who belittled her and called her a disappointment. The simulation messed with her mind and thinking as it should. Eventually she came to realize that she is not alone. That she has herself and that is enough. The Test is taken in the person's Village of birth. Everything they experience is shown on a screen to the Councilmember and the Simulation Adminitrator. They pass if the do an adequate job in facing the fears and insecurities and don't break down into an emotional wreck. Culture The Vitayu are a very traditional race. Theor society is very much built up by traditions. Also they believe in a pure race. They don't allow marriages between other races, so a Vitayu cannot marry as Divinus or Polari. That also means they cannot have mixed children. It is considered illegal. Any mixed child wold be killed or banished. This tradition however is being challenged by the Rebels. They are a grand race, who love extravagance. However their extravagance is always elegant, not impractical. Their buildings are grand, will pillars, yet it doesn't over do it. There is enough to show off their power, but not to rub it in. They enjoy the arts. Many of the great musicians of Xechoris are from Vitayu after 1423. Aside from the talented artists and musicians, the Vitayu are big patrons to the arts. They also love the theater. The traditional clothing of the Vitayu are intricate robes. The colors are usually shades of green, embroidered with gold thread. Males wear black or white pants, with black boots (that are changed to dress shoes in Modern Ulferia age). They wear a light undershirt. Over that they start with the robes. The more layers to the robe, the higher up in society they are. Often times they wear traditional amulets or necklaces that have different insignias. The females are either seen in straight intricate dresses, or robes similar to the males. They wear sandals. They also out their hair into intricate braids, with gold string wrapped around. Necklaces and jewelry are also common. Religion The Vitayu have different gods. They don't necessarily worship gods like Demus, Kaeanna, Tubaterra, and so forth. They have their own gods. Five of them. The leader of the gods is Oreka. She is the goddess of Balance. The other four gods are: Patua god of Fate, Mortem god of Death, Elementa goddess of the Elements, and Maite goddess of Love. The Vitayu hold annual festivals for each of their deities. The mout extravengent one is the Festival of Oreka. Notable Figures * Chencellor Bellamy Nurasi * Chancellor Kessuk Nurasi * Chancellor Oliver Nurasi * Sylar * Emrys * Isaac * Petra Valentine * Jasmine Valentine * Adalard De La Grace * Hilaire De La Grace * Elise De La Grace